Mumbai Doctor Shocked as US Denies B1/B2 Visa Despite Strong Travel Record

(MUMBAI) A 26-year-old Indian doctor from Mumbai says she was stunned when a US B1/B2 visa officer refused her tourist application despite what she described as strong ties at home and a solid travel history. The first-year postgraduate medical trainee, who posted about her case on Reddit, had applied twice in 2025 using separate DS-160 forms. She said the officer ended the brief interview with, “Ma’am, you are ineligible for the visa currently,” a standard line for a Section 214(b) refusal. The case has struck a chord with many young professionals planning family trips to the United States 🇺🇸, especially those who believed past visas and frequent travel would help.

In her first application, filed during a gap year, she listed her status as “studying for tests.” By the time she reapplied, she had secured a postgraduate seat, reported an annual income of ₹8 lakh, and added current employment details. She told the officer she was visiting for tourism and planned to travel with her parents, both of whom hold valid US B1/B2 visas. She also mentioned her sister, who is studying at a US university.

The interview itself was short: a polite hello, a question about purpose of travel, a note that her family travels abroad every two years, and then the refusal.

Travel history and why it surprised her

What puzzled her most was her strong travel history. She had visited nearly 10 countries, including Schengen states such as Austria, Italy, and Switzerland, and destinations like Vietnam, Morocco, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Dubai.

For years, frequent, compliant travel to Europe and Asia was widely seen as a positive sign in US visitor cases. This time, it didn’t move the needle.

Trends: rising denials and why

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, denials for Indian B1/B2 visitors have risen through 2024 and into 2025, with refusal rates for tourist visas reportedly up by 10–20% in 2024 compared with previous years. Early 2025 shows continued strictness.

Attorneys and former consular staff attribute the change to:

• Tighter risk assessment
• Faster pre-screening
• More weight on whether an applicant will return home on time

In short, a clean passport alone no longer answers the officer’s main question under US law: will this person come back?

At the center of the ruling is INA §214(b), the law that presumes every visitor visa applicant is an intending immigrant unless they convince the officer otherwise. If the officer isn’t persuaded, they issue a 214(b) refusal, which is final for that application — there is no appeal.

Key distinctions:

• 214(b) — a final refusal when the officer remains unconvinced the applicant will return.
• 221(g) — a temporary hold for missing documents or additional security checks (not applicable in this case).

VisaVerge.com reports consular posts now rely on stronger screening tools, including data analytics, to flag risk patterns before interviews. Officers also weigh:

• country overstay patterns,
• the traveler’s age,
• family links in the US,
• career stage in relation to past outcomes.

Younger, single applicants with close relatives in the US often face harder questions about return plans, even with steady jobs and good finances. That context helps explain why the Mumbai doctor’s sister’s presence in the US — and her plan to travel with parents who already hold visas — could have raised follow-up concerns the short interview never explored.

Why 214(b) denials are rising

Consular officers have limited time — often just a few minutes — to decide. They focus on clear, consistent answers that show the applicant’s life in India is stable and ongoing.

Common triggers for a 214(b) refusal include:

• Vague purpose. Saying “tourism” without a specific plan can sound generic. A short, specific itinerary and funding details show forethought.
• Thin or new employment. Officers look for continuity. A brand-new job or recent job changes can look less settled than long-term roles.
• Close family in the US. Siblings or parents in the US can be viewed as a draw to stay longer than planned.
• Limited rooted ties. Property ownership, long leases, caretaking duties, and community roles can help; their absence can hurt.
• Inconsistent records. Differences between the DS-160, financials, and any public online footprint may lead to doubt.
• Country overstay patterns. When a nationality shows higher overstay rates, officers tend to probe more, even for travelers with clean histories.

For the Mumbai applicant, three facts likely stood out: she is early in her career, she has a sibling in the US, and her parents hold US B1/B2 visas and would be traveling with her. None of these alone proves immigrant intent, and many families visit and return on time. But under today’s stricter lens, that mix can put extra pressure on the applicant to present strong, concrete ties and a clear plan to return to India on schedule.

VisaVerge.com notes many Indian professionals with robust travel records are surprised by refusals under 214(b), because older assumptions — such as “Schengen visas help” — no longer carry the same weight. Officers now place more emphasis on how an applicant’s personal profile fits risk models, rather than treating past tourism as decisive proof of intent to return.

What applicants can do now

A 214(b) refusal is not permanent. But change is key: reapplying with the same facts typically yields the same result.

Practical steps to improve chances:

1. Build deeper home ties
   • Steady employment track, promotions, long-term work contracts
   • Property ownership or long leases, caretaking duties, community roles
2. Clarify the trip
   • Prepare a short, credible plan: cities, dates, basic itinerary
   • State who is funding the trip and how long you’ll be away
   • Officers don’t require hotel bookings, but they want clear answers
3. Address family in the US
   • Explain clearly that the visit is temporary and why your life in India pulls you back
4. Keep answers simple and steady
   • Short, direct replies during the fast interview
   • Ensure consistency with your DS-160 on income, studies, and leave approvals
5. Avoid rapid re-filing
   • Wait until you can show new facts (more time in job, promotion, property purchase, marriage, etc.)
6. Bring what matters
   • While interviews are often “paperless,” carry potential supporting documents: leave letters, job letters, pay slips, and a basic itinerary
   • You may never be asked for them, but be ready

To refile, you must submit a new DS-160 and pay the fee. Official resources:

• DS-160 portal: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/forms/ds-160-online-nonimmigrant-visa-application.html
• Guidance on refusals and reapplying after 214(b): https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/visa-denials.html

Both links are maintained by the US government and explain the rules in plain terms, including why there’s no appeal for visitor refusals.

Specific suggestions for the Mumbai doctor

A measured pause could help. As a postgraduate trainee, time in role matters. Steps that might strengthen a fresh application:

• Provide a well-documented study and work schedule
• Produce proof of approved leave from training
• Present a tight trip plan for a short visit
• Decide whether traveling with parents helps the case or whether a solo trip later, after more time in training, looks steadier

There’s no single right answer; what matters is how the facts show she is firmly based in India.

Final takeaways

Immigration lawyers working with Indian B1/B2 cases report a consistent theme across consulates:

• More scrutiny of intent to return
• More weight on family links in the US
• Less credit for past tourism alone

VisaVerge.com also notes newer screening tools flag sudden financial changes or profiles matching past overstay trends. That doesn’t mean officers treat everyone the same, but it does mean they start from a higher bar.

For many Indian travelers, the emotional toll of a refusal is real. The law is clear: the officer’s job is to decide if you’re likely to come home on time. The best response is to shape a case that answers that point with calm, concrete facts.

The Mumbai case is a reminder that even a strong travel history isn’t a shield. Today’s US B1/B2 visa interviews reward clarity over volume, and continuity over flash. For young professionals, especially those with family in the US, the most persuasive message is simple: here is my stable life in India, here is my short plan, and here is how I’ll be back on time.